Smoke Signals 1 1
FEBRUARY 1,2011
Grand RoncOe Tribal
Housing Auftlhoritty
&f -
Board members wanted
Board positions open to Tribal or nonTribal applicants
The Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority Board has three Board
of Commissioners seats expiring in March 2011. The positions have
terms expiring in March 2014.
Interested persons should have a demonstrated interest in housing
and experience in the housing field in some capacity, including:
affordable housing development;
property management;
residential building construction;
housing finance;
housing planning;
other housing related areas.
The Board oversees all housing development, housing manage
ment, housing programs and housing operations for the Tribe, and
is responsible for policy decisions. The board currently meets at 5
p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Housing Authority
office in Grand Ronde and holds work sessions as needed.
Interested persons should send a letter outlining their interest
and qualifications to: Carina Kistler, Executive Director, Grand
Ronde Tribal Housing Authority, 28450 Tyee Road, Grand Ronde,
OR. 97347 or via e-mail to carina.kistlergrandronde.org.
All letters need to be received by 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, to be consid
ered. The Housing Board candidates will be interviewed by a Housing
Board Panel, the board will make recommendations to the Tribe, and
final appointments will be made by CTGR Tribal Council. For more
information regarding qualifications, contact the Housing Authority
at 603-879-2401 or toll-free at 1-800-422-0232, ext. 2401.
Down Payment Assistance Program
The Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority (GRTHA) has 2011
Down Payment Assistance available for applicants with moderate
to low incomes. Although the budget for Tribally funded Down
Payment Assistance has been committed for 201 1, HUD funds may
be available for qualified Tribal applicants whose gross household
income either meets, or is less than the guidelines below:
Family size Gross income
1 $39,900
2 $45,600
3 $51,300
4 $56,950
5. $61,550
6 $66,100
7 $70,650
8 $75,200
Please call Nancy Holmes, Homeownership Coordinator, at 503-879-2445,
to pre-qualify for HUD funded assistance.
Units available now!
The Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority is accepting applications for
Rental Housing Units in Grand Ronde
1-5 bedroom sized units, many upgrades, parkingstorage close to Tribal
services.
The units include washerdryer, refrigerator, dishwasher, in-floor radiant
heat, private patio and great views. If you work for the Tribe or casino, you
pay no State Income Tax!
The following screening criteria is required for the Market Rate Units:
Credit history, landlord history, criminal history, income (at least 3 times
monthly rent). One adult member of the household must be an enrolled
CTGR Tribal member.
HUD assisted rental applicants must meet low-income and other federal
requirements.
Call GRTHA for applications or for further information at 1-800-422-0232,
ext. 2401, or 503-879-2401.
Merrier returns to New
Zealand for Waka Pageant
Tribal member and Tribal Language and Cultural Specialist
Bobby Mercier returned to New Zealand on Monday, Jan. 31, for
the second consecutive year to participate in the Waitangi Waka
Pageant 2011 in the brisk waters of the Day of Islands on the
north island of the country.
Ceremonial waka (canoes) will ply the waters and international
guests, including Mercier and representatives from the Suqua
mish Tribe in Washington state, will participate.
"Native Americans will be training on the largest waka we
have, which is Nga Toki," said Joe Conrad, Nga Waka Federation
member and captain of Nga Toki.
Mercier's trip continues the trans-oceanic cultural relationship
between the Grand Ronde Tribe and Maoris of New Zealand.
Maori representatives have participated in the Tribal Canoe
Journey with the Grand Ronde Tribe and last January Mercier
flew to New Zealand to canoe with the Maoris.
Mercier said he will be in New Zealand for 12 days, tk
SoDfaydle cairn hi Dim ft aft
p a ft (to off ft toe to ear ft
In an effort to inform and assist the community at large, Smoke Signals
publishes an occasional article addressing various mental health issues
written by a member of the Behavioral Health Department at Health &
Wellness. We welcome letters, e-mails and questions from people with mental
health-related questions at tom.bendergrandronde.org.
By Tom Bender
Tribal Mental Health counselor
Two years ago, as an assignment, I stood motionless for 20 minutes
among a lush menagerie of tall, potted house plants.
The house was dark save for a string of Christmas lights and a lamp in
the adjoining room. Twenty minutes of standing and breathing no TV,
no music, no computers.
It was a little rattling at first, this not doing. My mind would wander
about for a bit, and I would gently rein it back into the moment.
Just being.
How many of us go from one set of distractions to the next? I have met
people who struggled so deeply with being alone that they preferred to
hop from one unfulfilling relationship to the next rather than experience
the totality of their being. Many people remain in abusive relationship for
this very reason. We would rather stay put in the familiar comfort of our
suffering rather than face ourselves in quiet solitude.
So what is it about being alone that scares us? My guess is, when we
slow down we start to feel the parts of ourselves we'd rather avoid. Guilt,
shame and hurt are big ones, and we aren't crazy about sadness, pain,
anger or boredom either.
At an early age, we learn to push down, repress and distract ourselves
from our emotional "owies." Unfortunately, this means we never really
give ourselves a chance to heal.
Take a moment now to slow down. Put this paper down, turn off your
cell phone and music, and just be for three minutes. While you do it, gen
tly notice what your mind does during this time. What feelings come up,
what memories or distractions do you long to create. Ifwhen you allow
your thoughts to carry you away, gently bring your attention back to the
present.
For those of you who did the exercise let's call it an exploration
how was it? What feelings (positive, negative or neutral) came up for
you while you were just being? Welcome to the You. Any sense of struggle
or discomfort you experienced may be a signpost pointing to what we in
counseling call, your emotional work. Quite possibly, however, if but for a
brief moment, you also experienced a sense of your own beauty, your own
divinity, your own heart. Welcome to You.
A handful of years ago, while visiting the United States, the Dalai Lama
was informed that Americans struggled with self-hate and low self-esteem.
The idea was so unfathomable to him that he couldn't understand what
the speaker was trying to say.
When the Dalai Lama finally "got" what was being said, he asked in all
sincerity, "But don't they know how precious they are?"
To be with one's self is to walk the path of the heart.
Authors note: Dear Reader: I will be writing one more article in this
mental health series, to appear in the March edition of Smoke Signals.
I am leaving the employ of the Tribe come March 25 to move to the high
desert paradise of New Mexico. Big thanks to Dean Rhodes and the staff at
Smoke Signals. And for those of you who e-mailed me your kind comments
and feedback, muchas gracias.